Remote electrically controlled wheeled toy



1963 A. N. GIARDINA 3,101,569

REMOTE ELECTRICALLY CONTROLLED WHEELED TOY Filed May 17, 1960 l4 M 22 I360 k; I? INVENTOR.

1 23 5962 Andrew N.G|0rdino le ma/4%,

ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,101,569 REMOTE ELECTRICALLY CQNTROLLED WHEELEDTOY Andrew N. Giardina, Leetsdale, Pa. Filed May 17, 1960, Qer.No.,29,'725 2 Claims. (Cl. 46-244) This invention relates to a toyairplane and, more particularly, to remotely controlled electricallypowered airplane simulating an intercontinental ballistic missileinterceptor.

While various types of toy airplanes are known, an outstandingdisadvantage of most of them is that the control is not such as toaiford realism, particularly because of the absence of a realisticsteering control, and because of the absence of other highly desirablefeatures which are necessary for giving a complete range of realism tothe toy and considerable amusement to the child operating the toy.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a novel remotelycontrolled toy airplane which is devoid of the above named disadvantagesof conventional toy airplanes.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a novel, remotecontrol element for controlling forward and reverse movements of anelectric motor driven toy airplane as well as to control right and leftsteering of the plane in a manner so as to simulate movements of a realairplane steering control element.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following description taken with the accompanyingdrawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top or planview of a remotely controlled airplaneincluding a remote control element embodying the principles of myinvention;

FIGURE'Z is a side elevation view of the toy airplane shown in FIG. 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view taken along line 3-3 of FIG.1;

FIGURE 4 is anenlarged, cross-sectional view of the rolling contactelement included in the steering control element of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 except showing the position of thecontact element when the steering control element is moved in a counterclockwise direction;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in cross-section, ofthe forward and reverse switch mounted ,in the right side ofthe steeringcontrol element in FIG.

1 for controlling theforward and rearward movement of the airplane;

FIGURE 7 is a front elevational view of the driving wheels and the leftand right steering control magnets embodied in FIG. '1;

FIGURE 8 is a transverse, cross-sectional view of a portion of theconstruction shown in FIG.7 and more clearly showing the manner ofoperation of the steering device; and,

FIGURE 9 is a schematic electrical circuit diagram showing the variousparts of the electrical control system embodied in FIG. *1.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, numeral 1 denotes a toy airplaneshaped somewhat as an intercontinental ballistic missile interceptor andhaving a recoil, simulated Bofors gun 2 on each side thereof. Theairplane as well as its remote control element 13 may be made of plasticor other suitable material. The simulated Bofors guns 2 includepiston-like elements 3, also of plastic material, which slide within thetubes 2 integrally formed on the plane body as the result of a crankdrive comprising link elements 4 connected to elements 3 and to crankelements 5, the latter being rotatably mounted 3,lill,5h9 Patented Aug.27, 1963 on a drive shaft 6 for alternately reciprocating piston-likeelements 3, as shown more clearly in FIG. 3. More specifically, as theaxle 6 is rotated, the crank elements 5 at the ends thereof willreciprocate in alternate directions the links 5 and elements 3. Shaft 6is driven in one direction or an opposite direction by an electric motor7' which is mounted underneath the airplane and which is effective torotate, through suitable reduction gearing of any well known type (notshown) a pair of driving wheels 26.

Depending on the direction of energization of electric motor 7, the toyairplane may be driven either forwardly or rearwardly; also it may bemoved or steered either to the right or to the left by means which willbe described hereinafter.

On the top central portion of the plane there is integrally formed ahollow cylindrical portion into which is slidably mounted a plungerwhich is adapted to push against the tail end of a toy miniature plane9, also slidable in said hollow cylindrical portion so that plane 91'may be propelled forwardly under the action of a strong coil spring 12.The spring is initially compressed by means of a latch 11 which isintegrally formed on the plunger In. Latch Ill, when retracted, fitsagainst the rear cut-out or grooved portion 10, which portion acts as astop. When latch 1 1 is laterally moved free of such cut-out portion,the full force expansion of spring 12 will push the plunger against thetail end of plane 9 and propel it forwardly.

I A novel feature of the present invention resides in the specific shapeand construction of the remote control element 13 which is in the formof a more than half circular element which serves as a steering wheelelement. It has mounted transversely across thereof an integral, hollowtubular portion 14 which hassupported therein a steering switch boxreferred to by numeral 20 and a steering switch element 21 illustratedin detail'in FIGS. 4 and 5. Push buttons 17 and 18 are mounted on theright end of element 13 as viewed in FIG. 1 and are effective to operatea reversing switch 16, 35a, 36a for reversing the direction ofenergizing current through the armature of the driving motor M to obtainselective forward and rearward movement of the plane.

A. substantially cylindrical contact element 21 will roll either to theposition shown in FIG. 5 bridging contacts 22 and 23 or to the oppositeposition so as to bridge contacts 22 and 24 as a consequence of. slightrotational movements of the steering wheel 13 in opposite directions.Contacts 23 and 24 are connected by lead-in wires 23a and 24arespectively, to solenoid coils 29 and 28, respectively, which are theright and left steering coils, respectively (see FIG. 9).

That energization of the respective solenoid coils will effect right orleft steering movements is more apparent from a study of FIGS. 7 and 8showing the solenoid coils 28 and 29 mounted on a support 27 and showingdiscs 30 and 3.1 of magnetic material, such as steel, which are splinedto a correspondingly splined portion of the hub of the wheels 26 so thatdiscs may freely move laterally but will not rotate with respect to thewheels. Thus, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, when solenoid coil 2-8 isenergized it will attract its armature so as to push against disc 31 soas to frictionally rub thereagainst and thus cause braking of theassociated wheel as, whereas because of lack of energization of theother solenoid coil 21, the other wheel 26 is free to rotate, thereforecausing the plane to steer to the left. When coil 29 is energized, theopposite front wheel will be braked causing steering to the right.

The forward and rearward control is shown more clearof any well knownconstruction so that one or more dry ing the button 117 may obtainforward movement of the plane, and by pressing button :18 may obtainrearward movement of the plane. 'In addition thereto, the child 'bytilting the steering wheel '13 in one direction will obtain rightsteering, and in an opopsite direction, may obtain left steering ofplane 1 because of selective energizat-ion of either solenoid coil 28 or29 to eifect selective brlalsing or steering of the front drivingwheels.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided an efiicient, remotelycontrolled toy airplane that provides a high degree of realism andamusement to the child and which, by means of a remotely controlledelement, shaped like a steering wheel, will effect left and'rightsteering, by slight rotational movements in opposite directions, andwhich will also control forward and rearward movements by a reversingswitch mounted on the steering wheel-like element; also which has dualBofors and a parasite or small plane that'may be shot out therefrom.

While (I have illustrated and described a single embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that this is byway of illustrationonly, and that various changes and modifications maybe made within thecontemplation of my invention and Within the scope of the followingclaims.

I claim:

1. A remotely controlled toy airplane comprising, in combination, a toyairplane, mounted on wheels, a reversible electric motor mounted on saidairplane for selectively driving said airplane forwardly or rearwardly,a remote control element electrically connected. to said motor by a[flexible cable and being in the form of a substantially semi-circularsteering wheel having a substantially cylindrical casing extendingdiametrically thereof, stationary dry cell means snugly enclosed in saidcasing, said airplane including a pair of solenoids and front wheelbraking elements operated thereby to obtain steeri-ng movements of saidairplane, a cylindrical contact element mounted for rolling movement ina confined portion of said casing, electrical contact strips mounted ina wall portion of said casing and cooper-able with said rolling contactelement in response to rotational movements of said steering wheel inits own plane for selectively energizing said solenoids to effect rightand left steering movements of said airplane. V v 2. A toy airplane asrecited in claim 1 together with a pair of reversing switches mounted onsaid semi-circular steering wheel adjacent the end of said casing forselectively driving said toy airplane forwardly or rearwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,780,487 Iurgen'sen Nov. 4, 1930 1,951,505 Dambrine .2... Mar. 2 019-34 2,638,712 Jackson -2 May 19, 1953 2,718,729 7 Giardina Sept. 27,1955 2,943,418 Smith July 5, 1960" 2,993,299 Dingee, et a1 July 25, 19612,999,226 Wuster'b'art'h' Sept. '5, 1961

1. A REMOTELY CONTROLLED TOY AIRPLANE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TOYAIRPLANE, MOUNTED ON WHEELS, A REVERSIBLE ELECTRIC MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAIDAIRPLANE FOR SELECTIVELY DRIVING SAID AIRPLANE FORWARDLY OR REARWARDLY,A REMOTE CONTROL ELEMENT ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR BY AFLEXIBLE CABLE AND BEING IN THE FORM OF A SUBSTANTIALLY SEMI-CIRCULARSTEERING WHEEL HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL CASING EXTENDINGDIAMETRICALLY THEREOF, STATIONARY DRY CELL MEANS SNUGLY ENCLOSED IN SAIDCASING, SAID AIRPLANE INCLUDING A PAIR OF SOLENOIDS AND FRONT WHEELBRAKING ELEMENTS OPERATED THEREBY TO OBTAIN STEERING MOVEMENTS OF SAIDAIRPLANE, A CYLINDRICAL ELEMENT MOUNTED FOR ROLLING MOVEMENT IN ACONFINED PORTION OF SAID CASING, ELECTRICAL CONTACT STRIPS MOUNTED IN AWALL PORTION OF SAID CASING AND COOPERABLE WITH SAID ROLLING CONTACTELEMENT IN RESPONSE TO ROTATIONAL MOVEMENTS OF SAID STEERING WHEEL INITS OWN PLANE FOR SELECTIVELY ENERGIZING SAID SOLENOIDS TO EFFECT RIGHTAND LEFT STEERING MOVEMENTS OF SAID AIRPLANE.